What strings you guys are using?

[Roobubba]

D'Addario Jazz medium strings (13 to 60-something I think) The EJ-22 set.
Heavier strings are a MUST for downtuning! I'm in A-E-A-D-F#-B. I've yet to break one, and I destroy my 3mm stubby triangle picks in one gig or two practices. All three corners.

Roo

[Gooby]

I use:
D'addario  .009 to .042 (six string) & .009 to .054 (seven string)

I used to be a die hard Ernie Ball fan for more years than i care to remember.  I tried a D'addario set on a whim one day to find to a large portion of my locking trem stability issues were down to the Ernies.

Also once you have got used to the way most brands of strings bend the E.Bs just seem like nasty rubber bands.

Martin

[Mark66]

I have used d'addario 10-46 for years, d'addario phosphor bronze 12s on acoustic :D Did use coated phosphor bronze for a while and they are very good, but I've gone back to plain phosphor bronze as they are a bit brighter. I tried elixir coated acoustic strings once & hated their dead sound so much I took them off after 2 days! :(
 

[JSHRED]

EDIT: I (selfishly) wish guitar shops would string their guitars with 11s though - I have to use a lot of imagination nowadays to figure out what a guitar really feels like :lol:
[/quote]


Ha, I have the same problem in reverse. I try to play Trilogy Suite or Erotomania or The Crying Machine or something on a store guitar with 10s and I'm like owie! Agony!

Hey, somewhat unrelated rant, but what is up with guitar stores that can't or won't set up guitars that are for sale? Maybe it's a bigger problem in the US with all the mega-retailers, but seriously, I get SO tired of guitars with inch-high action that are out of tune. And worst of all is all the Floyd locking nut guitars that aren't even set up. And you bother a salesman about it and they act all bothered like you're trying to sell THEM something. Every store should have a tech who comes in part time or full time (depending on store size) and maintains the guitars. Nothing kills a store demonstration experience like grabbing a guitar that plays like garbage.

[38thBeatle]

I use Rotosound  Reds (11-48)-nickel.My local store sells 3 for 2 and so I buy them in batches. They seem fine to me.

[dave_mc]

i use wussy 9s too, unless i tune down slightly.

[Simon D]

I use Ernie Ball 10s on everything, and have done since I switched to 10s about 3 years ago. Now get driven nuts playing anything with 9s on it.  I really should try something else, but I can only be arsed to change strings fairly infrequently, and I've just stuck a load of new EB 10s on a fair few of my guitars.

I will try something else at some point. Maybe.

[Philosoful]

Lots of interesting stuff in here!

I used Dean Markleys for a while, they were alright but didn't really grab me, then I tried Eernie Balls which seemed to have a slightly more piercing tone (it's very bizzarre but I feel something in my (human) neck when doing bends and such on higher frets :? didn't have that on the Dean Markleys) and I've got a set of DRs on the way.

All of these strings = 9 - 46 on a 7 string guitar (bought a 6 string pack and need to buy the low A sharp separate).

It's good to play with the extremes, I had a set Boomer Zakk Wylde 70s on a guitar in drop D (think it's a 24.75 scale length) and although bends = impossibility it was a piano like acoustic tone I got out of it, the guitar = an Ibanez Iceman but it sounded awesome, probably should've adjusted the neck for such a tuning... :lol:

[Plexi Ken]

10s on Fender, 11s on Gibson.

I've got GHS Burnished Nickels on my LP Std w PGBlues. First time I've used them and they do sound 'vintage'.
Normally I use D'Addario ELX (I might try their nickel XL next) or Ernie Ball Slinky.

[HTH AMPS]

I used D'Addario 11-49s for years (10+), then switched to Dr Duck strings which have a tighter feel to the wound strings which gives them more 'umph' for AC/DC and Who style chords.

I've recently got some Pyramids and am still deciding on what I think of them.

Overall, I'd say D'Addarios are hard to beat - they're cheap, consistent and last forever.

[PhilKing]

I used D'Addario 11-49s for years (10+), then switched to Dr Duck strings which have a tighter feel to the wound strings which gives them more 'umph' for AC/DC and Who style chords.

I tried the Dr Duck's and was underwhelmed by them, prefering the tone of D'Addario's.  Further to my earlier email, I used to use Scalar strings for a long time and then John Pearse (always nickel), but once Dean stopped making Scalar, I was drifting a bit and went to DR pure blues or D'Addario nickels.  When he started SOB's, I got some and have to say that they are even better than the Scalars were.  I use 2 custom gauge sets, 10,12,16,26,36,46 on Fender scale lengths, 11,13,17,28,38,48 on Gibson's.

[Philosoful]

What is a the Fender/Gibson scale length? I understand it's the length they build their guitars but... is that 24.75? and something else or?..

[AndyR]

I don't know the exact lengths Philosoful, but fender is a bit longer. This means that the same strings tuned to the same pitch are a higher tension on a fender scale length than a gibson scale length, so the actual tone from the strings is slightly different before all the woods/pickups come into play. The action feels stiffer as well.

I used to use heavier strings on gibson length for this reason, so that the two feel "similar", but I've ended up loving both scale lengths for what they give me, so I use the same gauges on both to give me the difference.

EDIT: Thanks Will! :D

[Will]

I used to use lighter strings on gibson length for this reason, so that the two feel "similar", but I've ended up loving both scale lengths for what they give me, so I use the same gauges on both to give me the difference.

:? shouldn't that be heavier on Gibson's to give extra tension to short scale length

[AndyR]

I used to use lighter strings on gibson length for this reason, so that the two feel "similar", but I've ended up loving both scale lengths for what they give me, so I use the same gauges on both to give me the difference.

:? shouldn't that be heavier on Gibson's to give extra tension to short scale length

oh god... you've got me thinking/doubting now :lol:

YES! You're right - typo :oops: I did use heavier on gibbo length - I shall edit it!